In this paper, results are presented showing the feasibility of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique as a fast and sensitive analytic tool for quantitative measurement of trace elements in water. Many ionic elements were detected; the system linearity was tested by analyzing water samples containing known concentration of Mg and Ca, whereas Cr-polluted samples were exploited to test the system sensitivity limit to impurities.
SchroederH.SchechterI.WisbrunR.NiessnerR.; “Detection of Heavy Metals in Environmental Samples Using Laser Spark Analysis”, in Excimer Lasers and Applications, LaudeL. D., Ed. (Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1994), pp. 269–287.
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OttesenD. K., “The Development of Laser Spark Emission Spectroscopy for the Characterization of Ash Deposits”, in Proceedings of the 24th International Symposium on Combustion (The Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1992), pp. 1579–1585.
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RastelliS., Thesis, Physics Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy (1994).
